1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to clutch actuators and, more particularly, to a clutch actuator for a vehicle which is configured such that a motor having a small capacity can be used to operate a diaphragm spring having a comparatively large load, thus improving the fuel efficiency of the vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
These days, automobile manufacturers are in intense competition as they strive to make technical developments and improvements in vehicle fuel efficiency from various angles; for example, developments pertaining to hybrid or electric vehicles, automation of manual transmissions, etc. Particularly, more so than hybrid or electric vehicles, research into automated manual transmissions is being competitively conducted, as these are competitively priced, provide a shift feeling of a similar level to that of typical hydraulic controlled automatic transmissions, and are improved in fuel efficiency by 6% to 8%.
Automated manual transmissions use the manual gearshift mechanism of the existing manual transmission, but the operation of a clutch and gear shifting are controlled by an actuator rather than by manual handling, unlike the gearshift mechanism of the manual transmission.
FIG. 1 is a view showing the structure of a clutch actuator of a conventional automated manual transmission. A motor 1 which generates drive force for the actuator is connected to a push rod 3 through a reducer 2. A release fork 4 is operated in a seesaw manner by a linear motion of the push rod 3, thus operating a release bearing 5.
However, a load required to operate the release bearing 5 is sharply increased, as a stroke to which the release bearing is moved is increased. Thus, to overcome the operation load and operate the release bearing, the load of the motor must be increased. Therefore, when the clutch is operated, the motor uses a lot of electric current, thus reducing the effect of improving the fuel efficiency of a vehicle.
Furthermore, because the structure and operation mechanism for operating the release bearing are complex, the size of the actuator is increased, and the production cost thereof is also increased. In addition, the conventional clutch actuator is disadvantageous in that noise and vibrations are caused.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.